Pipe-testing apparatus.



J. A. HOGK.

FIRE TESTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28,1906.

906,495. Patented De0.8,1908

- 2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

WITNESSES Y INVENTOR J. A. HOOK.

PIPE TESTING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 28,1906,

Patented, Dec

2 SHEEN SHEET 2.

INVENTOR B 01AM UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. HOOK, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL TUBECOMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PIPE-TESTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Application filed September 28, 1906. Serial No. 336,638.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Joi-iN A. llOCK, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county,Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Pipe-Testing Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedapparatus and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectionalview on a larger scale, showing the details of the valve mechanism forthe delivery hopper and Fig. 4L is a similar sectional view showing thevalve mechanism for the receiving hopper.

My invention relates to apparatus used in testing pipes or tubes and itmore particu larly relates to apparatus employed in testing tubes usedin making electrical conduits. In such conduit tubes it is necessarythat they be tested to insure that the inside of these tubes are freefrom any projections or obstructions that would prevent the wires frombeing inserted in them. Heretofore the manner in which this testingoperation has been done was to force a testing ball of the desireddiameter through each pipe by means of a long rod, one operator beingrequired to handle and hold the pipe while a second operator by means ofthe rod pushed or drove the ball through the pipe. This has been a veryslow and expensive opera tion.

The object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus by the useof which the tubes are easily and quickly tested and in the use of whichthe time required and the labor necessary in testing the tubes isgreatly lessened and the expense of performing this operation is largelyreduced.

My invention consists in an improved apparatus in which the balls orgages used in testing are caused to pass through the pipes being testedby means of air or other fluid pressure and in which the gages used areautomatically returned to place in readiness to be again used fortesting another pipe. The invention also consists in the constructionand arrangement of the apparatus as more fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings, 2 represents the delivery hopper from which the ballsare passed into position to be forced through the pipe being tested andinto which hopper the balls are delivered from the receiving hopper.

3 is the receiving hopper into which the. balls are passed from thetested tubes, t represents a tube as it is held in place by the operatorwhile being tested. The end of the tube a is placed in the end of thebell 5 by the operator, one end of the tube being brought into line withthe opening 6 located in the side of the receiving hopper 3. The hell 5is secured to the end of the longitudinally movable pipe 7 and this pipe7 is provided with an upwardly extending opening 8. The lower end of thehopper 2 is provided with a downwardly extending opening 9. The hopper 2is rigidly secured in place by means of the supports 10 and 11 on asuitable foundation, (not shown). The receiving hopper 3 is alsoprovided on its lower end with an opening 12 which opening is providedwith an upwardly seating hinged flap valve 13. The valve 13 is normallyheld open by gravity and is adapted to close when fluid pressure isadmitted into the pipes employed in delivering the balls from thishopper into the hopper 2 and in this way to close the opening 12 andprevent escape of the fluid pressure through the opening 12 and thehopper 3.

Secured to the lower end of the hopper 3 is a pipe 14 which extendslongitudinally and is curved upwardly to a point above the top of thedelivery hopper 2. On the end of the pipe 14 above the top of the hopper2 a cylindrical cage or screen 15 which is constructed of a series ofrods or bars 15 so as to form a slotted conveyor or chute. The bars 15are placed closely enough together to prevent the balls from droppingthrough the openings between these bars and are separated from oneanother so as to permit of any scale or other foreign material deliveredto the cage to drop between the bars and in this Way to prevent it frombeing carried into the hopper 2. The hopper 2 and the receiving hopper 3are connected together by the fluid pressure supply pipe 17 and both ofthese pipes 17 are connected by the pipe 18 with a source of fluidpressure supply.

The pipe 18 is provided with a globe valve 19 by means of which thefluid pressure supply may be shut off from the testing apparatus. Thepipe 18 is also provided with a valve 20 which is opened and closed bymeans of a lever arm 21. The bell 5 on the end of the longitudinallymovable pipe 7 is connected by means of a yoke 22 with the rock-shaft 22and on the end of this rock shaft is a lever arm 23 which is connectedto the valve operating lever 21 by means of a link at. The lower end ofthe hopper 2 is provided with a gate 25 which is normally held open andwhich is adapted to be closed by the shutter or slide 26 which isoperated by the movement of the longitudinally movable pipe 7. The pipe7 is provided with a spring 27 which keeps the pipe in its forwardposition until such time as it is moved by the operator when testing thetube. A stop 28 is provided which by engagement with the collar 29 011the longitudinally movable pipe 7, limits the stroke of this pipe. Onthe interior of the hopper 3 a plate or bell 30 is suspended in suchposition that when the ball is delivered from the tube being tested itwill strike this plate and in this way give notice to the operator thatthe testing ball has passed through the tube being tested and that thetube being tested is clear and is free from any obstruction on its innersurface.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows :The parts being in theposition shown, the end of the tube 4:, which is to be tested, is placedin the mouth of the bell 5 by the operator, the other end of the pipebeing placed in line with the opening in the side of the hopper 3. Theoperator then moves the pipe 4 and the bell 5 forward until the opening8 in the endwise movable pipe 7 registers with the opening 9 in thelower end of the hopper 2. The ball 31 which has-been placed in thehopper 2 then drops into the pipe 7. The movement of the pipe 7 alsomoves the shutter or slide 26 so as to close the gate 25 and preventescape of the fluid pressure. This same movement of the pipe 7 alsomoves the valve lever 21 through thev yoke 22, the shaft 22', the leverarm 23 and link 2% to open the valve and admit fluid pressure from thepipe 18 into the pipe 17 and also into the pipe 7. The force of thisfluid pressure drives the ball 21 forward into and through the tube 4:which is being held by the operator with one of its ends in the mouth ofthe bell 5 and causes the testing ball to be carried into the hopper 3,the

by the fluid pressure in the pipe 17 to pass through the pipe 14 intothe cage 15 from which it drops into the hopper 2 inreadiness to beagain used in testing another tube. The operation above described isthen repeated in testing other tubes.

When, on account of obstructions or defects on the inner surface of anyof the tubes being tested, the ball is not forced through this tubeafter the fluid pressure has been applied, the operator lays such tubeaside and proceeds to test another. Any pipes having obstructions intheir interior which prevents the ball from passing through them areafterwards subjected to a hand driving operation to remove suchobstructions.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart. By its use one operator can test a large number of pipes. The timerequired in making each test is greatly reduced and the cost ofperforming this operation is lessened. The testing ball or gage ispreferably made spherical in shape although its shape may be changed ifdesired. The testing balls are automatically delivered in position to beagain used. The apparatus is simple and easily kept in repair.

Many modifications in the construction and arrangement of the apparatusmay be made without departing from my invention.

I believe I am the first to employ apparatus using fluid pressure tocause the testing ball or gage to pass through the pipe and I intend tocover the same broadly.

I claim 1. Apparatus for testing tubes, comprising a ball runway havingan open section into which the tubes to be tested are inserted to formtemporarily a section of the runway, a testing ball, and means forautomatically passing said ball through the tubes and runway as thetubes are successively brought into position to receive the ball;substantially as described.

2. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a testing ball, a balldelivery hopper, means for passing the ball through the delivery hopperto successive tubes as they are brought into position to receive theball and means for returning the ball to said delivery hopper;substantially as described.

3. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a testing ball, a balldelivery hopper, a ball receiving hopper, means whereby said ball ispassed from the delivery hopper to the tubes, means for passing the ballthrough the tubes into said receiving hopper, as they are brought intoposition to receive the ball and means for returning the ball from thereceiving hopper into said delivery hopper; substantially as described.

4. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a testing ball,-a balldelivery hopper, means for passing the ball from the delivery hopper tothe tubes as they are successively brought into position to receive theball and fluid pressure means for returning the ball to said deliveryhopper; substantially as described.

5. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a testing ball, a balldelivery hopper, a ball receiving hopper, fluid pressure means forpassing the ball from the delivery hopper through the tubes into saidreceiving hopper and for returning the ball from the receiving hopperinto said delivery hopper as the successive tubes are brought intoposition to receive the ball; substantially as described.

(3. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a testing ball, a balldelivery hopper, a ball receiving hopper, fluid pressure means forpassing the ball from the delivery hopper through the tubes into saidreceiving hopper, as they are brought into position to receive the balland fluid pressure means for returning the ball from the said receivinghopper into said delivery hopper; substantially as described.

7 Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a testing ball, a ball deliveryhopper, means for passing the ball from said delivery hopper into thetubes, fluid pressure means for passing the ball from the said hopperthrough the tubes and mechanism for automatically operating the ballmoving means as the tubes are successively brought into position toreceive the ball; substantially as described.

8. In apparatus for testing tubes, a passage arranged to communicatewith an end of the tube being tested, to which the tubes to be testedare successively brought, a testing gage adapted to be driven throughthe tubes to be tested, a source of pressure supply connected to saidpassage, and means controlling the pressure to drive the gages throughthe tubes. as they are successively brought into communication with saidpassage, substantially as described.

9. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a ball delivery hopper, apassage arranged to communicate with an end of the tube to be tested, afluid pressure supply communicating with said passage, valve mechanismoperated by the end of the tube for controlling the fluid pressure and areturn passage for the ball arranged to communicate with the oppositeend of the tube being tested; substantially as described.

10. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a ball delivery passagearranged to communicate with an end of the tube to be tested, a fluidpressure supply communicating with said passage and valve mechanism forcontrolling the fluid pressure, a return passage for the ball arrangedto communicate with the opposite end of the tube and a screen in the endof the said passage; substantially as described.

11. In tube testing apparatus, a ball delivery hopper, a deliverypassage, a fluid pressure supply communicating with the passage andvalve mechanism arranged to simultaneously open the passage and closethe hopper as successive tubes are brought into position to receive theball; substantially as described.

12. In tube testing apparatus, a ball delivery hopper, a deliverypassage, a fluid pressure supply communicating with the passage andvalve mechanism arranged to simultaneously open the passage and closethe hopper and admit the fluid pressure; substantially as described.

13. In tube testing apparatus, a hopper, an endwise movable deliverypipe having an opening arranged to communicate with the hopper, a fluidpressure supply controlled by the movement of the pipe and mechanismcontrolled by the movement of the pipe for simultaneously connecting thesupply with the pipe and closing the hopper; substantially as described.

1 1. In tube testing apparatus, a hopper, an endwise movable deliverypipe having an opening arranged to communicate with the hopper, a fluidpressure supply controlled by the movement of the pipe and mechanismcontrolled by the movement of the pipe for simultaneously connecting thesupply with the pipe and closing the hopper and means for automaticallyclosing the pressure supply; substantially as described.

15. In tube testing apparatus, a hopper, an endwise movable deliverypipe having an opening arranged to communicate with the hopper, a fluidpressure supply controlled by the movement of the pipe and mechanismcontrolled by the movement of the pipe for simultaneously connecting thesupply with the pipe and closing the hopper and means for automaticallyclosing the pressure supply and the opening in the endwise movable pipe;substantially as described.

16. In tube testing apparatus, a hopper, an endwise movable deliverypipe having an opening arranged to communicate with the hopper, a fluidpressure supply, a shutter for closing the hopper to prevent escape ofthe fluid pressure and mechanism controlled by the operator forsimultaneously operating the shutter, the fluid pressure supply and theshutter; substantially as described.

17. In apparatus for testing tubes, a testing ball, and fluid pressuremeans for driving the ball through the tube to be tested, substantiallyas described.

18. Apparatus for testing tubes comprising a testing ball, and fluidpressure means for entering and forcing said ball through the tube to betested, substantially as described.

19. The method of testing tubes Which and then forcing said gage throughthe tube 10 consists in lnsertlng a gage 1n the tube to by means offluid pressure; substantially as be tested and then forcing said gagethrough described.

the tube by means of fluid pressure; sub- In testimony whereof I havehereunto set stantially as described. my hand.

20. The method of testing tubes which JOHN A. HOOK. consists in placinga gage in the end of the \Vitnesses: tube to be tested, connecting theend of the H. GILBERT,

tube with a source of fluid pressure supply, I ROBERT M. ERSKINE.

